Ditching decarbonisation? Transitioning for profitability and competitiveness.
New tools, new possibilities New technologies are opening up ways for businesses to achieve Absolute Efficiency through more intelligent design and planning. Consider the emergence of “mixed reality” headsets, such as the Apple Vision Pro. This novel device, which overlays data and digital content onto real-world surroundings, allows professionals to literally see how efficiencies can be integrated into projects. Whether they’re designing a new retail store or refurbishing ageing infrastructure, project managers can strap on the device to observe how different materials, lighting and temperature control systems can change spaces and influence energy use. They can do so while streaming real-time data on energy performance, enabling them to model scenarios before committing to a budget. This and similar tools are democratising planning and decision-making around efficiency. Managers no longer need to be skilled engineers trained in the science of efficiency – or even understand kilowatt-hours – to make sound business decisions on sustainability. The objective is not to replace the role of scientists, technicians and consultants. Rather, it’s about empowering teams to seize opportunities and determine the most effective use of resources for projects.
9/10 executives maintained/increased climate investment (2025 survey)
Charlotte Gray, Consultant, UK Energy Solutions
Steel, cement, chemicals, aviation, shipping and heavy transport industries that seem hardest to decarbonise are also sitting on the biggest opportunities – with early-movers racing to capture market share. Amid global political and economic volatility and under extreme pressure to deliver short-term, bottom- line returns, it turns out that organisations aren’t ditching decarbonisation. According to Boston Consulting Group and CO2 AI’s Climate Survey 2025¹, more than four out of five companies we surveyed reported financial gains from their decarbonisation efforts. In the absence of policy certainty, global organisations have struggled to rationalise hefty transition investments in emerging technologies while delivering quarterly results to shareholders. According to the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, companies are increasingly channeling investments into ‘bright spots’ – i.e. markets offering stable policy environments, affordable clean energy and growing demand for low-carbon solutions. The stakes to decarbonise remain high Almost all of the business leaders surveyed in the Business Breakthrough Barometer 2025 believe that achieving a net-zero economy, one that delivers a stable climate, in the long term, will result in lower burdens on their organisation than the costs of transitioning. On top of that, industries are collectively recognising that if they want to thrive and survive, they need to decarbonise. In April, the UN International Maritime Organisation and Marine Environment Protection committee agreed to have its net zero emissions framework formally adopted in October this year before coming into force in 2027². References 1. Boston Consulting Group and CO2 AI, Climate Survey 2025, https://www.bcg.com/publications/2025/tackling- climate-challenge-creating-value 2. United Nations, “Countries reach historic deal to cut shipping emissions”. April 2025. https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/04/1162176
Conceptual models: material passports, circular flows, waste-to-value systems
Jane Nethersole, Programme Director, Climate Action
The Absolute Efficiency mindset shift
Reframe sustainability: control costs, protect profits, drive innovation and build resilience
Absolute Efficiency is a fundamental reframing of sustainability that steps away from political baggage, freeing businesses to focus on what they understand best–measurable results and bottom-line impact. It means being bold enough to think systemically, work outside traditional silos and push suppliers to find efficiencies to build long-term resilience, regardless of the policies governments are planning or implementing. Don’t wait for instructions. Instead, decide what to do and how to get there, simply because it makes good business sense.
Example: data centre reusing heat
References 1. World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). “Business Breakthrough Barometer.” June 30, 2025. https://www.wbcsd.org/actions/business-breakthrough-barometer 2. International Energy Agency (IEA). Gaining an Edge: The Role of Energy Efficiency in Enhancing Competitiveness. June 2025. https://www.iea.org/reports/gaining-an-edge 3. Center for Sustainability & Excellence. The EU’s Road to a Circular Economy by 2025: Key Steps and Challenges. January 31, 2025. https://cse-net.org/eu-road-to-a-circular-economy-by-2025-key-steps-and- challenges
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